You make the call ....

I get a letter from a kid looking for a job ... except the letter didn't go to me, it went to my predecessor as sports editor.

And the kid misspells the name of the previous boss so egregiously that you'd like to think it might have occurred to his that he couldn't possibly be spelling it right.
So ... my first impulse is to write him back and tell him to try again. And try a little harder.

If there's no way you're hiring the kid anyway, just respond with 'received your letter to the former SE, Bob Jones (not Jonse). Not hiring at this time, good luck.' Let him wonder if his lousy letter had anything to do with it.

But to make him go back and submit it again, knowing you're going to say no anyway...that seems a little mean.

If there's no way you're hiring the kid anyway, just respond with 'received your letter to the former SE, Bob Jones (not Jonse). Not hiring at this time, good luck.' Let him wonder if his lousy letter had anything to do with it.

But to make him go back and submit it again, knowing you're going to say no anyway...that seems a little mean.